220 THE MERINO SHEEP. 



to the pareutage of our domestic Sheep, but other writers have separated 

 the moiiflons from the Sheep, aud placed them in a different genus. 



Although the Sheep is generally considered to be a timid animal, 

 aud is really so when forced into adverse circumstances and deprived 

 of its wonted liberty, it is truly as bold an animal as can well be seen, 

 and often gives many proofs of its courage. If, for example, a travel- 

 ler comes unexpectedly upon a flock of the little Sheep that range the 

 Welsh mountains, they will not flee from his presence, but draw to- 

 gether into a compact body, and watch him with stern and unyielding 

 gaze. Should he attempt to advance, he would be instantly assailed by 

 the rams, which form the first line in such cases, and would fare but 

 badly in the encounter. A dog, if it should happen to accompany the 

 intruder, would probably be at once charged and driven from the spot. 



Even a single ram is no mean antagonist when he is thoroughly 

 irritated, and his charge is really formidable. Sheep differ from goats 

 in their manner of fighting ; the latter animals rear themselves on 

 their hind-legs, and then plunge sideways upon their adversary, while 

 the former animals hurl themselves forward, and strike their opponent 

 with the whole weight as well as impetus of the body. So terrible is 

 the shock of a ram's charge that it has been known to prostrate a bull 

 at the first blow. Nor is the Sheep combative only when irritated by 

 opposition or when danger threatens itself A Sheep that had been 

 led into a slaughter-house has been known to turn fiercely upon the 

 butcher as he was about to kill one of its companions, and to butt 

 him severely in order to make him relinquish his grasp of its friend. 



In the British Isles the sheep breeds freely, producing generally one 

 or two lambs every year, and sometimes presenting its owner with three 

 at a birth. One instance is on record of a wonderfully prolific ewe. 

 She had hardly passed her second year when she produced four lambs. 

 The next year she had five ; the year after that she bore twins ; and 

 the next year five again. On two successive years she bore twins. 

 Two out of the four and three out of the five were necessarily fed 

 by hand. 



We will now advert shortly to some of the principal breeds or varie- 

 ties of the Sheep. 



Of all the domestic varieties of this useful animal, the Spanish or 

 Merino Sheep has attracted the greatest attention. 



Originally, this animal is a native of Spain, a country which has 

 been for many centuries celebrated for the quantity and quality of its 

 wool. The Merino Sheep, from whom the long and fine Spanish 

 wool was obtained, were greatly improved by an admixture with the 

 Cotswold Sheep of England, some of which were sent to Spain in 

 1464, and the fleece was so improved by the crossing that the famous 

 English wool was surpassed by that which was supplied by Spain. 



